Personal Training Research Articles

An Interdisciplinary Collaboration to Reduce Weight Stigma Among Exercise Professionals

Weight stigma is the negative social judgment of people based on their weight. Despite the negative consequences of weight stigma, its prevalence is well-documented including within the physical activity (PA) landscape. Research shows that a wide range of PA-related professionals hold negative attitudes toward fat people, including physical education teachers, kinesiology students, and fitness trainers. This article describes a collaboration across disciplines and fields to develop a weight stigma reduction intervention for exercise professionals. Weight Inclusive Thinking for Fitness Spaces (WIT FITS) is a two-hour, self-paced, interactive online course grounded in the Health at Every Size® paradigm and research-informed strategies for improving exercise professionals’ attitudes toward fatness and fostering weight inclusivity in fitness settings. WIT FITS was the result of a three-year interdisciplinary collaboration with scholars from pedagogy, public health, sport and exercise psychology, and nutrition. Community partners involved in the development, implementation, and evaluation of WIT FITS included body liberation activists, web and instructional designers, and campus recreation leaders.

Augmenting complex and dynamic performance through mindfulness-based cognitive training: An evaluation of training adherence, trait mindfulness, personality and resting-state EEG.

Human performance applications of mindfulness-based training have demonstrated its utility in enhancing cognitive functioning. Previous studies have illustrated how these interventions can improve performance on traditional cognitive tests, however, little investigation has explored the extent to which mindfulness-based training can optimise performance in more dynamic and complex contexts. Further, from a neuroscientific perspective, the underlying mechanisms responsible for performance enhancements remain largely undescribed. With this in mind, the following study aimed to investigate how a short-term mindfulness intervention (one week) augments performance on a dynamic and complex task (target motion analyst task; TMA) in young, healthy adults (n = 40, age range = 18-38). Linear mixed effect modelling revealed that increased adherence to the web-based mindfulness-based training regime (ranging from 0-21 sessions) was associated with improved performance in the second testing session of the TMA task, controlling for baseline performance. Analyses of resting-state electroencephalographic (EEG) metrics demonstrated no change across testing sessions. Investigations of additional individual factors demonstrated that enhancements associated with training adherence remained relatively consistent across varying levels of participants' resting-state EEG metrics, personality measures (i.e., trait mindfulness, neuroticism, conscientiousness), self-reported enjoyment and timing of intervention adherence. Our results thus indicate that mindfulness-based cognitive training leads to performance enhancements in distantly related tasks, irrespective of several individual differences. We also revealed nuances in the magnitude of cognitive enhancements contingent on the timing of adherence, regardless of total volume of training. Overall, our findings suggest that mindfulness-based training could be used in a myriad of settings to elicit transferable performance enhancements.

Fit-Sense AI

Sustaining a healthy lifestyle has grown more crucial in the fast-paced world of today. But not everybody has access to a personal trainer for fitness. This is where technology can become extremely important in increasing the accessibility and appeal of fitness. A project called "Fit- Sense AI” is an AI-powered fitness Trainer that uses OpenCV for computer vision, MediaPipe for position estimation, and artificial intelligence (AI) to build a virtual fitness trainer that you can use on your computer. The goal of this project is to offer people a customized, interactive fitness experience. It can follow the user's motions in real time and provide feedback and instructions for different exercises by using computer vision techniques. The AI fitness trainer will assess your technique while you're doing strength training or yoga poses and provide suggestions for improvement

Impacts of an abbreviated personal agency training with refugee women and their male partners on economic empowerment, gender-based violence, and mental health: a randomized controlled trial in Rwanda

IntroductionWe assessed the impact of a personal agency-based training for refugee women and their male partners on their economic and social empowerment, rates of intimate partner violence (IPV), and non-partner violence (NPV).MethodsWe conducted an individually randomized controlled trial with 1061 partnered women (aged 18–45) living in a refugee camp in Rwanda. Women received two days of training, and their partners received one day of training. The follow-up survey where all relevant outcomes were assessed was carried out at 6–9 months post-intervention.ResultsAt follow up, women in the intervention arm were more likely to report partaking in income generating activities (aIRR 1.27 (1.04–1.54), p < 0.05) and skill learning (aIRR 1.59 (1.39–1.82), p < 0.001) and reported a reduction in experience of physical or sexual NPV in the past six months (aIRR 0.65 (0.39–1.07), p < 0.09). While improved, no statistically significant impacts were seen on physical or sexual IPV (aIRR 0.80 (0.58–1.09), p = 0.16), food insecurity (β 0.98 (0.93 to 1.03), p = 0.396), or clean cookstove uptake (aIRR 0.95 (0.88 to 1.01), p = 0.113) in the past six months. We found statistically significant reduction in physical and sexual IPV amongst those experiencing IPV at baseline (aIRR 0.72 (0.50 to 1.02), p < 0.07). Small improvements in self-efficacy scores and our indicator of adapting to stress were seen in the intervention arm. Some challenges were also seen, such as higher prevalence of probable depression and/or anxiety (aIRR 1.79 (1.00-3.22), p = 0.05) and PTSD (aIRR 2.07 (1.10–3.91), p < 0.05) in the intervention arm compared to the control arm.ConclusionOur findings echo previous research showing personal agency training can support economic well-being of women. We also find potentially promising impacts on gender-based violence. However, there is some evidence that integration of evidence-based mental health support is important when enhancing agency amongst conflict-affected populations.Trial registration numberThe trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT04081441 on 09/09/2019.

Health Profile of Workers at Gas Station X Maulafa District Kupang City

Gas stations are areas that operate in the petroleum sector where repeated exposure to the products produced (butane, pentane, isopentane, benzene, alkylbenzene, toluene, and xylene) can have an impact in the form of health problems. The individuals with the greatest exposure to gas station products are the workers. According to data, during the period from 2016 to 2018 there were 120 cases of work accidents around gas stations. The use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and training regarding the prevention for the worker and management of accidents and illnesses resulting from working at gas stations are important in ensuring worker safety. According to research that has been conducted, it was found that the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is still very low among Gas Station X workers, Maulafa District, Kupang City. Training and equipment that support Occupational Safety and Health programs are also not available to the majority of workers. This is the cause of health problems among Gas Station X workers, Maulafa District, Kupang City. Method: This research is a quantitative study with a cross sectional approach and involved 12 respondents. This study data collection techniques by interview dan physical examination directly to the samples at Gas Station X Maulafa District, Kupang City. Result: Based on the research results, it was found that the majority of Gas Station The health problems found were Peripheral Vertigo (16%), Tension Type Headache (TTH) (8%), Allergic Rhinitis (8%) and Irritant Contact Dermatitis (8%). Conclusion: An occupational risk factor that can affect the occupational safety and health of employees at GAS STATION X is exposure to fuel oil which contains volatile substances. It was found that 4 out of 12 workers at the gas station in Maulafa District, Kupang City experienced health problems, the health problems they experienced were Peripheral Vertigo, Tension Type Headache, Allergic Rhinitis and Irritant ...........

‘The general concept is a safer use approach’: how image and performance enhancing drug coaches negotiate safety through community care

Background Drug coaches are a novel extension of traditional personal trainers who play a significant role providing support and shaping drug-related behaviours for people who use image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs). They constitute a critical domain for everyday risk management, where substance use, and its associated harms are influenced by social exchange. This study investigated how IPED coaches negotiate safety within the community through the provision of their services and the partnerships they form with clients. Method Ten IPED coaches, selected through purposive sampling, engaged in semi-structured interviews (32–57 minutes in length) exploring the way in which they operate in their field of practice. Iterative inductive analysis was applied to the transcripts, enhanced by discussions among researchers and an independent coder. Results The findings are organised under three categories, revealing the nuanced strategies and identities of IPED coaches, emphasising harm reduction and optimising ‘gains’ in IPED use. These coaches play a significant role in harm reduction, wielding their ‘chemical capital’ and lived experience to integrate nuanced harm reduction strategies into their partnerships with clients. Conclusion Embodying a model of peer-driven knowledge exchange and emphasising open and inclusive discourse IPED coaches offer a vehicle toward integrated harm reduction strategies.

“Are you supposed to be here?”: Formerly incarcerated men of color navigating positions of authority

AbstractThe current study sought to understand the lived experiences of 10 formerly incarcerated Black and Latino men in an apprentice program for physical trainers using directed content analysis. Participants described a variety of microaggressions, including those representing known themes (e.g., assumption of criminality) and new (sub)themes (e.g., borrowed legitimacy). They also described new opportunities afforded to them by virtue of their involvement in the apprentice program and their newly found authority. Results indicate that formerly incarcerated men of color experience daily discrimination and re‐entry challenges that may be destabilizing and contribute to recidivism, thus reinforcing the cycle of mass incarceration. The authors suggest further investment in tertiary interventions to buffer against the harmful effects of microaggressions, as well as further research with a critical race lens and primary interventions aimed at ameliorating the societal conditions that lead men of color to come into contact with the criminal legal system.

Effect of Resistance Training with Gym Machines On Muscle Strength and Body Mass Index in Obese Women Student College

Several countries have high obesity rates. Obesity poses serious health risks that require effective treatment. Too much fat reduces muscle strength, affecting obesity. Resistance training can overcome weight gain and muscle loss. Resistance training with gym machines for obese women is understudied. The effects of gym machine resistance training on muscle strength and BMI can help physical trainers design appropriate exercise programs. This study examines how gym-machine resistance training affects muscle strength and BMI in obese women. One pre- and post-test group included 30 obese 17-25-year-old women. Resistance training uses gym machines to target major muscle groups and lose fat. Prisoners are trained three times a week for ten weeks under supervision. Resistance exercises include lati pulldown, abdominal crunch, cable curl, chest press, and leg press. The one-repetition maximum (1RM) test measures muscle strength, while height and weight calculate BMI. Paired difference test (paired sample t-test) effect was then tested. Ten weeks of resistance training led to significant muscle strength gains across all measures (p &lt; 0.05). Moreover, the resistance training group demonstrated a significant BMI reduction (p &lt; 0.05). These findings suggest that gym-machine resistance training can help obese women lose weight and gain muscle. Resistance training on gym machines can help obese women lose weight and build muscle. This study suggests systematic resistance training can improve muscle fitness and weight control in this population. Long-term health and well-being effects of these therapies can be examined. Keywords: Resistance Training, Obesity, Women, Muscle Strength, BMI.

Differentially private federated learning with Laplacian smoothing

Federated learning aims to protect data privacy by collaboratively learning a model without sharing private data among users. However, an adversary may still be able to infer the private training data by attacking the released model. Differential privacy provides a statistical protection against such attacks at the price of significantly degrading the accuracy or utility of the trained models. In this paper, we investigate a utility enhancement scheme based on Laplacian smoothing for differentially private federated learning (DP-Fed-LS), to improve the statistical precision of parameter aggregation with injected Gaussian noise without losing privacy budget. Our key observation is that the aggregated gradients in federated learning often enjoy a type of smoothness, i.e. sparsity in a graph Fourier basis with polynomial decays of Fourier coefficients as frequency grows, which can be exploited by the Laplacian smoothing efficiently. Under a prescribed differential privacy budget, convergence error bounds with tight rates are provided for DP-Fed-LS with uniform subsampling of heterogeneous non-iid data, revealing possible utility improvement of Laplacian smoothing in effective dimensionality and variance reduction, among others. Experiments over MNIST, SVHN, and Shakespeare datasets show that the proposed method can improve model accuracy with DP-guarantee and membership privacy under both uniform and Poisson subsampling mechanisms.

Healthcare-associated infections in Iranian pediatric and adult intensive care units: A comprehensive review of risk factors, etiology, molecular epidemiology, antimicrobial sensitivity, and prevention strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current review article provides a comprehensive analysis of nosocomial infections in pediatric and adult intensive care units (ICUs) in Iran. We examine the risk factors and etiology of nosocomial infections, with a particular focus on molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial sensitivity. In this article, we explore a range of prevention strategies, including hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, environmental cleaning, antibiotic stewardship, education, and training. Moreover, we discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on infection control measures in ICUs and provide valuable insights for healthcare professionals and policymakers seeking to address this critical public health issue. In conclusion, this review article can serve as a valuable resource for those interested in understanding and improving infection control in ICUs and beyond.

Between lookism and bodily capital: Understanding female personal trainers’ appearance in occupational socialization

Between lookism and bodily capital: Understanding female personal trainers’ appearance in occupational socialization

Developing the Physical Performance in Youth Soccer: Short-Term Effect of Dynamic–Ecological versus Traditional Training Approach for Sub-Elite U13 Players—An Ecological Exploratory Cluster Randomised Trial

Currently, research in youth soccer consists of methodological choices that can raise activity volumes and exercise intensity to promote proper training for youth soccer demands. Therefore, the present cluster randomised trial aims to evaluate the effects of the dynamic–ecological approach on the physical performance parameters compared with a traditional one in a group of sub-elite U13 players. Thirty-five male children (age 12.16 ± 0.55 years; weight 45.59 ± 7.15 kg; height 145.5 ± 4.2 cm; BMI 15.8 ± 2.1 kg·m−2) were recruited for this trial from two teams belonging to sub-elite soccer schools and randomly assigned to a dynamic–ecological approach (DEA) or a traditional training (TTG) group. The training program lasted six weeks and consisted of 18 training sessions of 90 min each (3 sessions per week). The sample was evaluated by the standing long jump (SLJ), hop test (HT), 10 m sprint (10 m), 10 × 5 m shuttle run test (SRT), and leg raise test (LR). The DEA group showed significantly higher results in the SLJ (p &lt; 0.001), HT left leg (p &lt; 0.001), 10 m sprint (p &lt; 0.001), and SRT (p &lt; 0.001). In conclusion, the dynamic–ecological approach provides higher performance adaptations. Therefore, this approach can be considered a suitable method to optimise pre-pubertal player training, mainly when no fitness or strength coach is available.

Qualified Fitness Trainers Practice Scientifically Based Judgement in Prescribing Exercise Programs

Fitness trainers are widely in demand by both commercial fitness centers and individual people. They serve members in one-to-one personal training (PT) or group training (GX) in commercial fitness centers. However, the services provided by fitness trainers have not been consistent across the industry. This service inconsistency has led to an increased doubt about professionalism in conducting safe and correct exercise for the public. No studies have evaluated how fitness trainers make decisions when they curate exercise programs for members. This research utilized a qualitative semi-structured interview method to collect datat from 16 fitness trainers in Greater Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Inverview data was verbatim transcribed and analyzed using a theory-driven analysis. The study investigated fitness training professional decision-making processes when they design and precribe fitness execise programming to clients. Using Cognitive Continuum Theory (CCT) as a lens to explore the decision-making processes revealed a dichotomy of decision-making processes for curating personal training and group training. Feedback mechanism in the implementation of personal training was proven to be more personalized than group training. There are four themes in decision-making processed discovered to be impreative characteristics for fitness trainers. The application of CCT allowed further understanding of the implementation of exercise programs for PT and GX training when fitness trainers modified exercise programs.

Aplicación de la Psicología forense en la evaluación criminal y su impacto en los procesos penales ecuatorianos

Forensic psychology has had a wide development within the legal sciences, providing adequate means and tools to facilitate the evaluative criteria of human behavior. In criminal matters, it leads, among other issues, to clarify the motivations of the accused and thus provide greater evidentiary certainty at the time of sentencing. The main objective is to analyze the application of forensic psychology in criminal evaluation and its impact on criminal proceedings, to understand its relevance, effectiveness and contribution to judicial decision making. To achieve this objective, the qualitative approach has been applied, with scientific methods such as analytical-synthetic, historical-logical, and inductive. Among the results, it has been shown that forensic psychology is not commonly used, due to the lack of accredited and specialized professionals, as well as of specific norms that lead to the promotion of a culture of its function and contribution to criminal law. It is essential to have medical, technical, and professional criteria that allow the application of fairer rules aimed at the protection of constitutional rights to ensure proper training and social reintegration of persons criminally punished.

Resistance Training: (Re)Thinking Workplace Health Promotion: A Pilot Study

Workplace health promotion (WHP) programs are being rolled out more frequently by administration to improve wellness, reduce turnover, decrease costs associated with health insurance premiums and absentee days, and reduce socioeconomic health inequalities in the workforce. There is a particular need for new approaches to improve the health and reduce sickness absence among employees from lower socioeconomic groups. In this paper, we report the results of our pilot study to determine adherence and explore the relationship between a resistance training program and health related markers, professional quality of life, and motivation to continue using a 12-week program led by Certified Personal Trainer.

Interplay Between Body Capital and Sexual Appeal of Female Personal Trainers to Increase Registration Intention Depending on Consumer Gender

Interplay Between Body Capital and Sexual Appeal of Female Personal Trainers to Increase Registration Intention Depending on Consumer Gender

Enhancing Cancer Care: Augmented and Virtual Reality Solutions

Abstract: The present research delves into the various uses of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in cancer therapy, emphasizing their capacities as inventive, patient-focused interventions. It has been shown that AR and VR technology can improve surgical methods, improve medical education, lessen the psychological and physical effectsof cancer, enable precision medicine, and encourage patient participation throughout treatment. The paper describes a thorough methodology for creating an AR/VR system for cancer diagnosis, which includes incorporating it into medical curricula, creating personalized training regimens, reviewing relevant literature, and implementing it with great care.Through a multidisciplinary approach, this research seeks to develop an approachable framework by promoting collaboration among specialists in academia, technology, and medicine. The final objective is to generate a thorough study report that offers insightful information about utilizing AR and VR technologies to improve cancer detection and treatment in the medical domain.

Real Time Fitness Tracking and Analysis using BlazePose Pose Estimation Ad

Inactivity is one of the main causes of obesity which has affected many people worldwide. Studies show that fitness is an important goal for a healthy lifestyle and is been used as a measurement for health-related quality of life. A fitness trainer can motivate and teach users to do exercise daily and stay fit and healthy. However, to use a fitness trainer might involve a huge cost and sometimes is not suitable for a certain setting. Exercises are very beneficial for personal health but they can also be ineffective and truly dangerous if performed in an incorrect method by the user. There are lot of mistakes made during a workout when user workout alone without supervision like wrong form which could result fatal for user as they can pull a hamstring or even fall due to it. In our project, we introduce AI Trainer, an application that detects the user’s exercise pose and provides personalized, detailed recommendations on how the user can improve their form. Pose Trainer uses the state of the art in pose estimation module known as “BlazePose” tool from “MediaPipe” to detect a user’s pose, then evaluates the pose of an exercise to provide useful feedback. We record a dataset of over 1000 keypoints coordinate of parts of body in correct and incorrect form, based on personal training guidelines, we build a machine learning algorithm for evaluation. AI Trainer works on six common exercises and supports any Windows or Linux computer with a GPU and a webcam

Understanding "The Athletic Labour of Femininity" Through the Experiences of Turkish Female Personal Trainers

The momentum of social media in the world of sports has created a wide range of opportunities for women in sports. One of the most obvious of these opportunities is undoubtedly related to economic visibility. The current research aims to examine how female trainers in the health and fitness sector, who actively participate in the creation and consumption of sports, represent themselves on Instagram through the concept of the athletic labour of femininity in the light of Turkey's gender regime and neoliberal feminism. In this study, which applied quantitative content analysis to a total of 1100 photographs of eleven individual coaches (11), eight in-depth individual interviews were conducted, and these qualitative data were analyzed by thematic analysis method. The quantitative and qualitative findings of the research show that women trainers in the health and fitness sector construct coaching that is in line with neoliberal femininity. On the other hand, power relations based on Turkey's neoconservative, religious patriarchal norms influence the market-based decisions trainers make about their sharing. As a result, Turkey-specific dynamics are at the forefront of trainers' athletic endeavours, which they focus on building a brand image. This study offers a perspective on how personal trainers serving in the healthy living and fitness industry use Instagram as a marketing tool, what economic opportunities they get, and what they negotiate while improving their visibility on Instagram, in the context of neoliberal femininity and Turkey's gender regime.

Aptitude Training System Using Decision Trees

This paper presents the development of an adaptive online aptitude training system utilizing decision trees for students preparing for campus placements. The system aims to assess and enhance students' aptitude and technical skills through personalized learning experiences. Leveraging a vast question bank, the system employs an adaptive algorithm analyzing users' responses, time spent, and performance data from pre-assessments to tailor subsequent assessments. By integrating AI-based question selection, the system ensures relevance and effectiveness in assessing student proficiency. The focus lies on providing targeted exercises to address individual weaknesses, thereby optimizing preparation for campus interviews. This paper underscores the efficacy of decision tree algorithms in delivering personalized aptitude training, contributing to students' success in securing placements. Keywords: Adaptive Learning, Decision Trees, Aptitude Training, Personalized Education